Raya App Review [Requirements, How It Works & More!]

Yes, if you meet the requirements. Raya costs just $19.99/month but requires committee approval, 5,000+ Instagram followers, and often a referral. You'll access high-caliber singles including celebrities and executives, though waitlists can take months and some applicants never get approved.

💡 Key Takeaways

• Extremely selective admission - Requires Instagram verification (reportedly 5,000+ followers), committee approval from 500 global members, and ideally a referral
• Surprisingly affordable - Standard membership only $19.99/month (or $9.99/month annually); Raya+ costs $49.99/month with premium features
• Elite user base - Attracts celebrities, executives, and creative industry leaders, concentrated in major cities like LA and NYC
• Serious privacy enforcement - Screenshots prohibited, can't discuss members on social media, violations result in immediate removal
• Massive waitlist - 2.5 million people currently waiting for approval, with wait times ranging from days to months (or indefinitely)
• Mixed success rates - 4.1/5 App Store rating, but users report fewer A-list celebrities than expected and variable matching success

Since 2009, VIDA's team of dating experts has helped thousands of singles meet quality matches on dating apps and sites. We've found Raya to be an effective dating app for many of our clients—when they can get in.

This comprehensive Raya review covers everything you need to know about this ultra-exclusive dating app, from the application process to whether it's actually worth the hype.

Let's start with the most common question: How do you actually get on Raya?

Raya was designed specifically as a place where people in creative industries can meet each other—for dating, networking, or both. But it's not for just any creative professionals. You need to be at the top of your game to make it past the metaphorical velvet ropes.

The Instagram Requirement

Instagram integration isn't optional—it's mandatory. You must provide your Instagram handle during signup and grant access so the acceptance committee can evaluate your account.

The app's algorithm analyzes your overall influence and counts how many current Raya members follow you. Rumors suggest the bare minimum is 5,000 followers, with 250,000+ being ideal. However, these are unconfirmed numbers, and admission can also depend on who refers you and other factors.

The Anonymous Committee

Acceptance means you're joining the ranks of celebrities on Raya like Ben Affleck, Demi Lovato, Channing Tatum, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Lizzo, and Rivers Cuomo. You'll also find plenty of top-level executives, athletes, and influencers.

But getting in requires approval from Raya's anonymous acceptance committee, which includes 500 individuals from around the globe. Their job is to determine if you've got that elusive something extra.

The Referral Advantage

According to a feature in The New Yorker, a full 87% of applicants who pass the acceptance process are either referred by existing members or have Raya members listed in their phone's contacts.

If you don't have a referral, you can still submit an application for the committee to evaluate—but your chances are significantly lower.

Here's Raya's process for admission, straight from the source:

Understanding The Waitlist

Raya's waitlist is constantly changing as people are accepted or left 'pending.' According to the WSJ, Raya's waitlist has hit 2.5 million singles.

The length of time you'll spend on it varies dramatically—from a day to several months. Some applicants never receive an official Raya rejection letter; their application simply stays 'pending' indefinitely.

If that happens to you, consider alternatives like Teleport, Tinder Select or The League.

Signing up for the app is easy—qualifying to be on Raya is the hard part. This elite celebrity dating app comes by its "Tinder Illuminati" nickname honestly.

Strict Privacy Rules

Member privacy is paramount on Raya. You'll have to agree to follow the app's guidelines:

Due to the exclusivity of its members, Raya enforces strict privacy guidelines. If you screenshot a profile, you'll receive a warning notice that you'll be removed from the app if the image appears anywhere online.

Breaking Raya's code of silence in just about any way risks getting you booted. Users are also prohibited from mentioning Raya members on other social media platforms.

Unique Profile Format

Another major difference is your profile format. Raya profiles consist of a slideshow of photos pulled from your Instagram account, set to a song you select.

Similar to other dating apps, Raya also has an "About" section with a brief introduction, your location, hometown, occupation, age, and listed interests.

Matching and Messaging

When you're interested in someone, tap the heart icon. Not interested? Tap the "X." You can also directly message someone right away or use the 'rewind' feature if you've made a mistake.

If another user has given your profile a 'heart,' you'll see a banner at the top of their image indicating they already like you.

Location Features

Raya shows you members both near and far—literally all over the world. But if you want to see people currently in your immediate vicinity, you can turn on "social mode."

This brings up a map of members hanging out in clubs, bars, or hotspots nearby, allowing you to potentially go from match/message to meet-up in time to grab a drink together.

Networking Features

Raya also has a "Directory" feature—a searchable roster of members. You can search for other users by city, company, or industry. You also have the option to switch on 'work mode' if you're more in the networking than dating mood.

About 10% of Raya users indicate they're "there for friends" in their profiles, making it a legitimate networking tool as well as a dating app.

Pros:

Highly vetted members. All members are scrutinized prior to acceptance, so the singles you'll find are likely highly intriguing people at the top of their respective fields.

Surprisingly affordable. At only $19.99 per month for Standard membership, Raya is a screaming deal compared to much pricier exclusive dating apps like The League.

Multi-purpose platform. It's not just for dating. Many users leverage Raya and the Directory feature for networking or hiring—like finding a "Raya-approved interior designer," for example.

Maximum discretion. The app is extremely security conscious, so if privacy is important to you, it's unlikely you'll find your profile leaked to Page 6 or TMZ.

Cons:

Limited user pool. Like any app requiring committee approval, the user base won't approach the numbers you'll find on apps like Tinder and Bumble.

Questionable acceptance criteria. It's speculated that Raya's acceptance is largely determined by your level of social media influence—and some critics question how a follower count makes someone more "dateable."

Geographic limitations. If you're not in a city like New York or Los Angeles known for its creative industries, you might not find many users in your area.

Long waitlists with no guarantees. You could wait months only to never receive approval, with no explanation or feedback.

On the App Store, Raya has a 4.1 out of 5 star rating based on over 11k reviews.

Positive Reviews

Several reviewers mentioned meeting their spouse through the app, giving it 5-star ratings.

User Francescog192000 gave Raya 5 stars, saying he appreciated how "most of the people on it have a career, education, and they want to do something with own lives a.k.a. interesting people."

Negative Reviews

Concerns about the Raya app included the waitlist process and perceived issues with the algorithm.

Cfulmer920 said he was "left on read" by Raya, despite applying twice over 3 years and being stuck on the waiting list both times.

User brightrose managed to make it off the waitlist and found higher quality men on it, but felt that "somehow it's impossible to actually connect with anyone through this app" and said the algorithm didn't seem to work.

Reddit Opinions

On Reddit, Raya users gave the dating app mixed reviews.

Some singles felt it wasn't worth the money, like airyeez who claimed to have Raya and pronounced it "...absolutely not worth [it]. Unless you just want to bang low level athletes/celebrities. I haven't found a real connection on the app."

Redditor OGMWhyDoINeedOne disagreed, saying it was worth it to "Check it out for a few months. I'd spare $100 for using it for five months (just to see what the hype is about.)"

Age and Celebrity Factors

Other Redditors weighed in on the Raya debate, saying that a user's age could impact their matches. As one user explained, "I just deleted it. If you are below 30, it's probably worth it. A day above that and you can hear a pin drop."

Another Raya complaint: lack of celebrities. Considering the media hype, some Redditors expected to be scrolling through A-listers, but one complained that the profiles were of "aspiring DJs and real estate agents."

If you’re checking out Raya dating app reviews, you’re savvy enough to not want to waste time, effort, and money on apps that don’t work.

But if you want to meet your ideal partner sooner, rather than later - you need an overall dating strategy. No matter which app or site you use, your photos, profile, and messages need to be on point.

Whether you’re on Raya, Tinder Select, Bumble or Hinge, if those 3 pieces aren’t coming together to portray you as the Total Package, you probably won’t meet the highest quality singles in your area.

Why not let VIDA’s dating experts help you get a leg up on your competition? Not only will we determine the best possible combination of dating sites and apps for you, we’ll handle everything else too.

Profile writing, photo selection, message exchanges - every single aspect will be in our expert hands. Your job is to simply show up for the dates with the best singles in your area!

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